Bush seeks closer ties with Canada, Mexico

MONTEBELLO, Quebec, Aug 21 (Reuters) US President George W Bush and leaders of Canada and Mexico sought to bolster economic and security ties as they met in a Quebec chateau, but a hurricane veering toward Mexico disrupted the summit's schedule.

Dubbed the ''Three Amigos summit,'' the two-day meeting of Bush, Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Mexican President Felipe Calderon is aimed at building on the trade relationship among the partners in the North American Free Trade Agreement.

But soon after he arrived at the resort, Calderon announced he would be cutting his visit to Canada short to return home today as the potentially catastrophic Hurricane Dean headed toward the Yucatan Peninsula.

Dean killed nine people over the weekend as it blasted through the Caribbean. Forecasters said it could become a rare Category 5 -- the strongest type of hurricane -- before making landfall in Mexico.

Bush told Calderon that the United States was willing to assist Mexico with the response to the storm.

''We want to be in a position to help them as appropriate and as best we can should Dean hit any part of Mexico,'' said Dan Fisk, a White House adviser on Western hemisphere affairs.

As the summit in the luxurious cedar chateau got under way, more than 2,000 protesters descended on the village of Montebello, clashing with police in riot gear and decrying the secrecy of the meetings.

They banged drums and called for Bush to go home. Some were dressed in black with their faces covered by kerchiefs.

''I particularly oppose war criminal Bush seeking to annex Canada and Mexico, to put the armed forces and police services under US command. It's all very dangerous,'' said Dean Lawveri, 39, of New York state.

One of the themes of the protests is the worry that the effort to strengthen economic ties will erode national sovereignty.

Late in the day, one group of protesters began to hurl rocks, bottles and cans at police, who fired tear gas to break up the crowd.

Harper dismissed the demonstrations. ''I've heard it's nothing. A couple hundred? It's sad,'' he said just before leading Bush into the log-cabin resort.

Canada and Mexico have been frustrated that North American trade has been held back by the US crackdown on border security following the September 11 attacks in 2001.

To try to tackle that problem, the countries have developed the Security and Prosperity Partnership, or SPP. But the agenda has upset activists on the left and the right who contend it will erode national sovereignty.

Reuters CS VP0605